Charity shops have long been a mainstay on UK high streets. In 2026, they are both more popular than ever, and being treated “as a stop on the way to the tip”, according to workers.
Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have made charity shopping (or “thrifting”, to use the Americanised term) more popular than ever. As a result, some charities like Save the Children had a three per cent rise in retail sales last year, with young shoppers playing a significant part in the increase.
But those same shops are struggling to deal with their donations due to the sheer volume of items that fast fashion brands are putting into the market.
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Harriet, a volunteer at Crisis in Dalston, says that in the two years she’s been there, “the volume of donations is increasing, so much so that we’ve had to refuse donations. There are only three people at any one time who can sort through everything and it takes a lot of time and man power”.
